Willis Re has launched a global life reinsurance practice to provide advisory and broking services to life insurers, reinsurers, and pension and annuity providers. Christian Howells (pictured) has been appointed as head of the new unit.
The practice operates as a collaboration between Willis Re and WTW's insurance consulting and technology (ICT) business, which supplies actuarial modelling and consultancy resources. The structure gives the broking platform direct access to a division serving more than 1,000 insurers across six continents.
Its capabilities span traditional and structured reinsurance transactions, funded and capital-motivated reinsurance, in-force risk management, portfolio structuring, and pricing support. The practice covers mortality, morbidity, longevity, and pension risk transfer solutions.
Howells joins from Macquarie Asset Management, where he served as head of international insurance solutions. Before that, he spent more than 16 years at Schroders in senior leadership roles serving global insurance clients, with a focus on Asia-Pacific.
He said life insurers were operating under capital pressures, regulatory change, and longevity risk. "The new life practice is designed to support clients beyond the transaction itself, bringing together market insight, analytical rigor, and strategic advice to help clients capitalize on market opportunities and strengthen their overall business performance," Howells said.
Duncan Briggs of WTW's ICT business said the practice combined actuarial depth and modelling capability with Willis Re's broking platform. He said the combination was designed to help clients "take more informed decisions, optimize capital and unlock value across increasingly complex portfolios."
The life practice launch comes as Willis Re continues to expand across multiple lines. The broker drew approximately 80 professionals from rival Guy Carpenter since mid-2025, across property retrocession, specialty lines, analytics, and life reinsurance.
Willis Re was relaunched in 2024 as a joint venture between WTW and Bain Capital. That followed WTW's US$3.25 billion sale of its original reinsurance arm to Arthur J Gallagher in 2021.
A High Court judgment in February 2026 found that two former Guy Carpenter executives improperly assisted Willis Re's hiring push before resigning. Financial damages are to be determined.
WTW has said Willis Re is expected to be a US$0.30 per share headwind to its adjusted earnings in 2026. The top four reinsurance brokers currently hold approximately 90% of the global market.
